The Mermaid That's Sweetest

[Part2] ⤀ 23] Trial by Nature

[Part2] ⤀ 23] Trial by Nature

"Lily is the catalyst to the Queen's lover's untimely death. Lily was the last to be near Queen Fantasia at the time of her death," it is the next day, in the early morning, and the crowd is going to determine my guilt – by bearing down on all my worst traits apparently, "Lily is inclined to want to rule as her mate was the bringer of the Black Night – the reason so many of us have lost the ones we loved in that brutal attack last Summer. It could be believed then, that Lily plotted and planned Fantasia's death," Lir's mother, Trish, speaks out, an elderly Mermaid, she's a sweet lady and garnering a lot of support from the trial as she heads it up.

I remember my own mother's words, as I watch her body burning from the pyre made of palm tree branches down by the beach shore. Fantasia had once joked to me; Don't kill me yet, Lily. You'd be murdered by an angry mob, in a coup, if you tried to reign this Island. You need to learn charisma.

Murdered by an angry coup could also be my fate – I was already in irons before the crowd, while my Darv sisters watch from the front row.

"The temporary Council of Elders have declared Lily a threat – although her actions cannot fully prove her to be the sole perpetrator... due to a lack of uncertainty in a vision my friend Clara had last night," Trish steps back and welcomes Clara forward.

"A ghost called to me last night, after Fantasia's death. I saw my own dead mother, Overseer Signet of the Crest Clan – she was buried on land and could not pass from limbo," Clara begins and I immediately tense as I remember Signet, the kind Overseer who took me to Ezili Castle last year. Signet told me what Clara speaks now, "My mother tells me Lily is innocent. Signet also brings further guidance from the afterlife, she says that Lily's fate is not to reign but to help us find ecological equilibrium on the Island. Signet also suggests Fantasia was not poisoned, rather she has been terminally sick for some time, but was simply hiding it from all... I must add that all of this was just a vision to me last night... but we should take this into consideration. I know in my heart that it was more than just a dream."

The crowd falls fairly quiet at that.

"You cannot count the word of a ghost," Halina stands, "Forgive me, Carla, even if the old Overseer was your mother... we must judge Lily by the facts. Not by emotion that may conjure dreams of the mother you miss so dearly," Halina could not sound any more disrespectful as she interrupts the trial to have her say.

"That is your opinion," I shoot her down, and Halina glances at me with fear in her eyes, perhaps she thought I could magically expose her for poisoning me in the fight.

"Your opinion doesn't matter, you're on trial because you're a main suspect in a murder," Halina steps forward, puffying out her chest – she garners some cheering and support from her little popular group of friends who train with her.

I do notice, however, my other sisters just roll their eyes – but they do avoid giving me any acknowledgment.

"Do you have anything else to add?" Trish asks wearily, aware Halina will use the opportunity to bolster her peacock feathers as a potential replacement Queen – we had no one ruling in the mean-time, and this was a great opportunity to speak to the crowd gathered under the Crown.

Only the Council of Elders behind us were temporarily in charge to keep peace and spread wise words to keep everyone from panicking.

"Yes, as a matter of fact I do," Halina steps in front of me, to cut me off from view, and all I see is her damn ass hanging out of her braided sea grass skirt, she tenses quite a bit before she blurts out, "I know Lily personally... and I have a few words to say that may be relevant. Lily was always quiet and never a leader – always lurking in the isolation of the orphanage, never socialising much, never swimming. One day... a rare time that she was in the water, she was out swimming with her best friend, Pompeii – a young girl from outside the orphanage. Lily murdered her. I saw her do it. I was the only witness too. Pompeii was bickering and making small teases Lily's way, Lily is a moody creature, more attuned to her quart of Erebos blood, and she could not hold her rage at being poked at any longer. So she killed her, using her Power over the Rough."